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Fans of older WWE video games would appreciate the carnage and chaos that kept them playing for hours on end. Whether it was fighting outside the arena or launching Jeff Hardy off the stage through four tables, the WWE video games of the past provided great gameplay and several superstars.



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When 2K took over the series, many aspects of the older games were updated to make players feel like they were going to a real game. WWE contest. While some updates improve presentation, fans eventually grew tired of the replay of current WWE video games.

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10 The same weapons every time

The later WWE games introduced the very simple scroll wheel mechanism for weapons. A chair. tables. The dreaded Kendo sticks. It often seemed like players could better customize their creative wrestler to give them a metal arm like the Winter Soldier.

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It wasn’t until WWE 2K20 that players could interact with customizable weapons like a Tombstone, The Book of Dead, and even a giant lollipop.


9 Same placement of ladders

Until this year’s game, the WWE games had a terrible habit of not allowing players to place ladders where they wanted them. It’s even more annoying in Money in the Bank ladder matches where players faced an overcrowded ring and still had to wait for the ladder to go up in the right place.

The worst part was that I couldn’t use the ladders creatively. The older WWE games gave players several options for ladder angle moves to deal damage to their opponents. 2K removed those options and only allowed players to throw their opponent at the ladder.

8 Worst Royal Rumble matches ever

The Royal Rumble match in WWE is arguably the most fun match in the business. While the older WWE games didn’t quite perfect the feel of a Royal Rumble match experience, the addition of the elimination system in 2010 gave players a lot more variety to take out their opponent.

The inherent problem is how easy it is to get eliminated or knock out the opponent in these matches. Royal Rumbles often lasts close to an hour, and with 2K’s dedication to making gameplay as realistic as possible, fans would have thought the studio would have come up with something to make the Royal Rumble match less pompous.

7 Outdated list

The WWE changes a lot of things throughout the year, from roster members to PPVs. It’s understandable if the folks at 2K studio can’t quite keep up with the changes as they put the finishing touches on the game.

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Still, playing with an outdated Roman Reigns can be quite tedious. Game developers regularly release updates and patches after their games are released, so it is possible to update the parts of the game that players will use the most.


6 Tag team matches

While the Royal Rumble matches in WWE games leave a lot to be desired, the tag matches feel like a 30-day running marathon. The problem isn’t that the opponent keeps kicking out; their tag partner will not stop breaking the pin.

Players have found creative ways to stop the tag partner AI from breaking pins over the years. From attacking them on the ring apron to dragging the opponent that far across the ring. These tag matches take too much time to the point where many players end up not finishing them.

5 Universe mode

The concept of WWE Universe Mode is fantastic. The ability to set up matches and feuds all year round and watch them play is something that harkens back to the days of GM mode. Unfortunately, many of the Universe modes in previous 2K games have done a lot to limit the player’s creativity.

However, fans have seen many improvements and updates to this mode, including increased match limits and the ability to cut a promo. While there’s still a way to go, Universe mode is going to be a pretty enjoyable feature in these games. However, the number of elements in the mode may make the casual player hesitant to try it out.

4 2K Showcase Modewwe-2k showcase

2K Showcase Mode offers a somewhat in-depth look at some of the greatest moments in a superstar’s career. Sometimes the mode dives into a specific rivalry like CM Punk vs. John Cena. Other times it delves into a certain era in WWE, ala the Attitude era.

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One of the problems with this mode is that you have to complete each objective to move forward. Players must also complete each objective to unlock all hidden content related to the showcase.


3 My Career Mode

One of the nice things about SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain was the story mode. Players could choose any wrestler they wanted and play through an entertaining yet streamlined story that took them throughout the WWE calendar year.

2K has removed the streamlined aspect of the story mode and added a lot of intricate elements, such as interacting with AI backstage that says the same thing over and over, to loot packs that are supposed to enhance the player’s character but cost way too much time and money.

It’s a shame the commentary in these games hasn’t improved in the last ten years. 2K has mastered the commentary in their basketball franchise, so it’s mind-boggling to see them miss the mark with their wrestling franchise.

The commentators react to moves in ways they clearly shouldn’t. Players could hit someone with a chair, and Michael Cole would react as if it were someone trying to hit a headlock.


1 game bugs

Then there are the game bugs that are both terrible and legendary. There will probably not be a wrestling game as monumentally broken as WWE 2K20 within the next five years.

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The 2K games are supposed to offer the most realistic WWE experience fans could have, but wrestlers sometimes look like they used a cheese grater instead of a towel to wipe their faces.